tpp-map Courtesy: United States Trade Representative
23 November 2016

A world divided by trade deals?

Amid the debate of a U.S.-centric TPP template or a China-led RCEP model, it is important to consider if such trade agreements are building blocks or stumbling blocks to global free trade. With the passage of the TPP still uncertain in the U.S. Congress, and the RCEP unlikely to be acceptable to the U.S., the more likely global trade scenario will be fragmentation

bank-getty-images-harold-cunningham Courtesy: Quartz
27 July 2016

Imperatives of regulatory diplomacy

Regulations are the new focus of economic statecraft. Their increasing importance is reflected in the negotiations on global financial standards, plurilateral trading rules, and regional economic unions.

Modi Asean Courtesy:
12 May 2016

India’s Act East Policy so far and beyond

In two years, the Modi government’s Act East Policy has gone well beyond the focus on economic ties of its predecessor, the Look East Policy. It has made progress on many wider fronts, including connectivity and defence collaboration. India must now build on this success and further consolidate relations and trade links with ASEAN and beyond

admin-ajax (3) Courtesy: Wikipedia
28 January 2016

Gwadar and “the String of Pearls”

Is China actively building up its maritime presence in the Arabian Sea, to dominate vital sea lanes and perhaps encircle India with a chain of naval bases? There can be little doubt that China views Gwadar as a potentially useful asset. China, however, will know better than anyone that Gwadar has two considerable limitations.

rupees-435450_1280 Courtesy: Pixabay
21 January 2016

Silver lining to India’s trade blues

India’s merchandise exports have now contracted for 13 months in a row, reflecting the global slowdown and impact of China’s economic recalibration. But, therein lay new opportunities and challenges for India’s economic diplomacy

Xi'an_erhuan_southeast Courtesy: Wikimedia
28 September 2015

Learning from China’s OBOR playbook

The ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative announced by China last year is being actively implemented at the provincial level. A recent conference in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, provided a glimpse of China’s multi-pronged strategy to harness various resources available to make OBOR a success.

Iron ore Courtesy: Peter Craven/Wikipedia
3 June 2015

India-China deficit: beyond iron ore

A distinguished Chinese scholar, speaking at a BRICS forum in Moscow recently, ascribed the growing India-China trade deficit to India’s ban on iron exports. While this contention is partially true, the data does not validate this argument, and nor does his view account for the other reasons for the deficit